Just a Wizard

Chapter Eighteen

Hermione was still trying to get her breath back when he grabbed hold of her wrists and pinned them over her head, his face lowering so he could kiss her, playfully nipping at her lips and licking at the seam of them until she opened for him, allowing a deeper possession.

The kiss he gave her was so arousing that she went under with barely any thought at all, groaning under the pressure of his body as he lowered his weight carefully onto her. She opened her legs as he inserted his knee between them and made room to settle himself against her, moving his free hand to slip beneath her hips and tilt her up into him. She became briefly lucid at the incredible intimacy of it, but he had found the sensitive skin of her throat and was nibbling at it contentedly, making her writhe underneath him.

Some time later, Ron squeezed his eyes shut, the image of her at the peak of her pleasure burned into his consciousness and sending him off on his own spiral. He roared as the tension snapped suddenly and then sent him free falling through space for only a few precious seconds.

Hermione briefly lost consciousness, her arms falling from his shoulders and thudding lifelessly onto the mattress as she came down from the incredible high.

After a few ragged breaths Ron managed enough strength to finally lift his head, then he went into a panic when he noticed she had passed out. His senses came crashing down on him when he realised how he had just taken her, and that she had been almost completely innocent.

"Hermione? Hermione! Fuck!" He patted her cheek helplessly and loomed over her, saying her name over and over again until she opened her eyes and looked at him dazedly.

"Oh my," she whispered, feeling her face heat as she thought about what had just happened. She frowned when she saw how worried he looked.

"Are you alright?" he asked her hesitantly, his eyes glittering with guilt. "I was so rough with you, I didn't even realise...."

"I'm fine, I think," she murmured, still feeling small eddies of pleasure coursing through her relaxed body.

"I had no right to take you like that," he continued, his hands running up and down her sides and arms, seemingly making sure she was in one piece. "I lost my head."

"Isn't that what it's normally like then?" she asked him, wondering what he had done that was so awful. Everything had felt amazing to her, although it was all a bit embarrassing when she thought of all the details.

He chuckled helplessly and leaned his forehead on hers, taking a deep breath. "No, love, that isn't what it's supposed to be like when you haven't done it much." He looked deep into her eyes as he slowly started to withdraw from her body, seeing her tense and then wince when he drew back and he nodded knowingly. "And that's why," he murmured, sitting back on his heels and looking down at her sprawled body. He swore softly under his breath, he hadn't meant to lost total control like that.

She tensed at his troubled gaze and bit her lip, trying to close her legs against his stare, but he wouldn't let her.

"Stay just like that, I just want to look at you," he said, gazing intently at her flushed skin. She was beautiful. Hermione squirmed as he did so, feeling more exposed now than she had when they had been making love, but he stilled and looked at her, smiling gently.

"Stop trying to cover yourself up. You're mine now, there's not one part of you that you should hide from me, okay?"

She swallowed and nodded, her heart doing flip-flops in her chest at his possessive attitude, and she lay back and let him gaze to her. She jumped when he bent and kissed her inner thighs suddenly, but he got up immediately went into the attached bathroom.

When he returned he sat back against the headboard and pulled her to his chest, kissing her lips softly and wrapping her into his embrace.

"It's normal isn't it? My passing out?" she asked.

"I hope so," he replied, still looking troubled because he felt he had pushed too deep inside her at the last. "It seems you're alright, so it was probably just from...you know..." He cleared his throat and looked uncomfortable and she couldn't help smiling.

"You're not embarrassed are you?" she teased, surprised at her capability to speak to him so casually after what they'd just done.

Ron stared down at her and raised one eyebrow, grinning. "Maybe a bit." He sobered almost instantly and rubbed her arms where he was holding her. "I'll never be that rough again. I did things...hell, I shouldn't have lost it like that! I hurt you!"

Hermione shook her head. "No you didn't, well, maybe a bit at first. I sort of expected that though, but you must know I enjoyed it," she said quietly, shy of talking about it just yet.

"Yeah, I guess so. Well, you enjoyed it twice, actually, if we're being honest about it," he said, grinning proudly. "And quite loudly too. It's just as well we're all alone here!"

She buried her face in his chest and groaned. "Oh, stop talking about it!"

"Listen Hermione," he said becoming serious for a moment, "when you were with him... that first time... did you...

"No!" she said sharply, cutting him off before he could say it. She knew what he was getting at and she was embarrassed enough already. "It... erm... it didn't last all that long. He did, but... er... I didn't."

"So the first time, was in your room, way back in December?"

"Yes!" she groaned, again, keeping her face in his chest and reluctant to admit it. "Now, please, please, can we not talk about it?"

"Would you rather we did it again then?" he asked, bending to lick at her shoulder. "I know I would, but I have a feeling you won't be able to for a couple of days." He lifted his head and his eyes held hers for a long moment. "Pity," he said softly.

"I might be able to," she whispered, her eyes full of emotion as she stared at him.

"You're too sore, and I refuse hurt you again for anything in the world. I want to make sure you enjoy it," he said by way of explanation, looking guilty. "I don't want you to suffer me just because I'm a randy bugger."

Hermione lifted a hand and placed it against his cheek, stroking his face lovingly. "I'd enjoy anything you did to me," she said, snuggling against him. "What....what Lavender said to you...she was so wrong."

Ron gaped at her, amazed that this one woman could see through everything he said, to the past hurts that lay inside him, easing them with just a few words.

He smiled cynically. "Are you sure? How would you know? You have only one man to compare me to, and he obviously wasn't much of a man."

"I know what my own body is telling me, I know what I felt." She swallowed and blushed, her voice becoming quieter. "I know I want to do it again. If you were useless at it, like she said, then I wouldn't would I?"

He lifted his hand and drew her chin up, staring deep into her eyes. "You are one of a kind, Ninny, you know that?" he murmured before moving in and kissing her again, letting his emotions flow into the kiss. He broke off and rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed. "You're getting brave on me, telling me you want to do it again, saying how much you enjoyed it. I think I like that, I know my body sure as hell does!"

Hermione instantly dropped her eyes and saw his thick manhood laying there in wait. "Oh," she said softly, her eyes shooting back up to his.

"Yeah, 'oh'. Not so brave now huh?" he said, chuckling.

"Do you want to...er...you know...." she stammered, suddenly losing her courage.

"Of course I want to. I'm not going to, but I want to. I think I'll want to bury myself in your body even when I'm on my deathbed," he said earnestly. He gave a deep sigh and cursed his wayward body, knowing he was going to have to put with the intolerable ache now. This was what happened when you abstained for so long, an insatiable hard-on that wouldn't quit. "How about a nice relaxing bath?" he asked her, thinking that maybe sitting in the big bathtub together would help them both with their various aches and pains.

Well, he decided a while later, maybe he had been wrong. Sure her aches and pains might have eased but his had only intensified. Having her lying back against him in the huge bathtub was making him harder than ever, something she couldn't fail to notice as it was pressed into her back. Without any conscious thought his hands smoothed over her stomach and up to cup her breasts, his thumbs skimming over the tight peaks rhythmically. The sound of her breath catching made him smile, as did the way she started squirming back against him. Okay, so, being this hard hurts, he thought. But so what? He was enjoying himself and so was she quite obviously.

"You okay Ninny?" he murmured, bending to tug at her earlobe with his teeth.

"Mmmm, I'm just fine...oh!" she gasped as his fingers pinched at her nipple suddenly, making pleasure streak through her body.

"Something wrong?"

"N..no...oooh, that's so..."

"So what?" he prompted, plucking at her again as his other hand started to slowly inch its way down her stomach.

"So good, it...mmmm," she bit her lip when his other hand reached it's goal and started to stroke her gently below the water.

"Feeling sore?" he asked softly, hoping she would say no. He was pleasantly surprised that her soreness seemed to have gone, thanking the hot water of the bath for that minor miracle.

Hermione felt him lift and turn her, and then she found herself sitting astride his legs, his face only inches from her own and his hard flesh springing up between her legs.

It didn't take long for Hermione to shatter, and the feel of her muscles contracting tightly around him flung him into his own ecstasy and he groaned harshly as he erupted inside her, feeling her collapse on his chest and putting his arms around her. He held her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

"I love you, Ron," Hermione murmured, her face buried against his throat.

Ron's eyes snapped open at the softly spoken words and he could have sworn his heart stopped beating. She loved him. His arms tightened around her almost painfully as he cradled her to his chest, his breathing and his heart suddenly starting up again at double speed.

"Oh Merlin, Hermione, I love you too," he whispered, throwing caution to the wind. He had had enough of being careful with what he said, or how much he let his emotions show. He truly loved this adorable little creature he held, and he didn't give a damn who knew it anymore.

He waited patiently for her to reply, and when she said nothing he tried nudging her head away from his neck. A laugh rumbled in his chest as he realised she had fallen asleep. She hadn't even heard his confession, he thought, rolling his eyes. Great, the first time he felt safe saying those words to a woman and she didn't even hear him. He lifted her off him and laid her gently back against the side of the bath, his eyes taking in her curves with a faint sense of ownership.

After quickly getting out of the water and drying himself, he lifted her out and laid her on a towel he had set out, wrapping it around her and then lifting her up to carry her in the bedroom, his mouth curving into a smile as her exhausted body stayed fast asleep. He had worn her out, he thought, his smile getting even bigger. It was too much to get her dressed in anything, and he contented himself with making sure she was dry and then laying her in his bed naked, his eyes looking at her covetously before he laid down next to her and covered them both up. After the exertion they had put themselves through they definitely needed their sleep.

The next morning Hermione woke up and stretched, wincing and frowning as her body protested the movement and her yawn was interrupted. She opened her eyes and looked around, finally seeing Ron laying next to her as always, fast asleep and looking very happy. She bit her lip as she remembered, in vivid detail, all that had happened the night before and she couldn't help reaching out and touching his face. His eyes opened instantly and he stared at her, a smile curving his distinctly sexy mouth.

"Good morning, sleep well?" he murmured, pulling her into the curve of his body and caressing her back.

"Mmm," she mumbled, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes again. "I can't even remember getting in bed."

"Well, that's because you feel asleep in the tub, right after you came apart in my arms. Remember that?" he asked wickedly, nibbling at her earlobe. He laughed as the heat from her face transmitted itself to his neck, and he knew without looking that she was blushing. "I guess you do. Remember what you said?" he asked this time, wondering if she would.

She pulled back and stared at him with a frown. "No. What did I say?"

"Oh, nothing much," he murmured, brushing a curly lock of hair out of her eyes and grinning. "Just how good a lover I was, how fantastic I am at pretty much everything, how much you love me."

Hermione stared at him and her mouth fell open. She had said that, she vaguely remembered it, but she couldn't for the life of her think of what he might have said in return. "Oh."

"Mmm, oh. So, did you mean it?" he asked her, grabbing her chin and making her look directly at him, his face suddenly deadly serious. "Do you love me, Hermione?"

She stared at him for a second, but she couldn't deny what was essentially the truth. She loved him with her whole heart. "Yes, I do."

He pulled her even closer to him and clutched her convulsively. "Thank Merlin," he muttered, but he didn't say the words back to her, and she wondered why not. Still, he felt something for her, she was sure and she relaxed in his arms, loving the feel of him. "I suppose you can barely move this morning? A quick roll in the hay is out of the question?" he mumbled, sounding so forlorn that she started laughing. "It isn't funny," he growled into her ear.

"It's your fault, you know," she murmured, snuggling closer to him and giving a contented sigh.

"How do you work that one out?" He grumbled, rolling onto his back and taking her with him, one of his hands coming up to stroke through her unruly hair.

"Duh, you don't have to be a genius to figure that out!" she said, giggling when he pinched her bottom underneath the sheets.

"Are you saying I'm stupid?" he growled, pulling her so she was laying squarely on top of him, her face inches above his own so he could give her a proper glare.

"Yes," she shot back, grinning at him as she touched his face, "but that's okay, you know? You're sexy too, and you have a wonderful body...a brain isn't all that important!"

"You will be in so much trouble if you carry on," he warned her, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"You can't punish me, I'm the walking wounded remember?" she pointed out, leaning down and stealing a quick kiss.

"Don't remind me," he groaned, running his hand up and down her back, enjoying the feel of her silky skin. "I guess I'll have to tell Ron Junior to settle down then?"

"Does he ever listen to you?" she asked, raising her eyebrows in disbelief.

Ron thought about that for all of two seconds and then shook his head, looking disgusted. "No. Still, you'd think he'd have learned to by now. Never mind. I'll go and take a nice cold shower and you can get yourself dressed and down in that kitchen. I need feeding!"

"Again," she added, rolling her eyes as he put her back on her side of the bed and stood up, stretching his huge arms above his head and yawning.

"Hey, I need to keep this body that you're so fond of in good shape, otherwise I won't have the stamina to pleasure you, will I?" he asked with a grin, raising his eyebrows and widening his eyes before he sauntered into the bathroom.

Hermione sighed and got out of bed, catching sight of herself in the mirror. She knew she wouldn't be able to accommodate him again for a while, and she wondered if that was normal. If so, how long did she have to wait? The thought of what he had done to her made her blush and she gave a soft huff of laughter as she left the room and made her way downstairs. She couldn't wait for him to do it again!

Two days passed by smoothly, and Ron treated her as if she were made of bone china, always opening doors for her, making sure she didn't carry anything heavy or do any work at all. He even stopped her from doing the dishes after she had cooked their meals, but he didn't actually mind her cooking at all.

On the third day he took her for a walk to see Charlie and Rebecca, Hermione vaguely remembered Charlie, and she'd never met his wife Rebecca. The two ran the ranch for him, and she was surprised to find that such a young couple were so settled. They were very friendly and welcomed her as if they had known her for years, and she instantly felt comfortable in their home. Charlie was still strongly built, but was never as tall as Ron. Rebecca had medium length black hair and was about five months pregnant with their first child, something she was incredibly excited about and she couldn't help but show Hermione all the things she had bought so far for when the baby arrived. It made Hermione think of pregnancy, and she put a hand on her own stomach, wondering if she could already have conceived. Ron hadn't used a contraceptive spell, so it was a distinct possibility. Neither of them had even spared a thought for charm or potion. She wondered how Ron would feel if she suddenly announced she was pregnant. She shrugged the thoughts off and carried on talking to Rebecca, it was early days yet and she doubted it could possibly have happened after only one night.

Whilst they were sitting down having coffee another girl walked into the room with some shopping bags and smiled when she saw who was there. "Ron!" she said, laughing as he gave her a quick hug.

Hermione looked at her. She was short, possibly a couple of inches taller than she was, and she had very long Auburn hair, with natural streaks of copper in it. She was pretty, with big brown eyes fringed with dark lashes, and she wore no make up on her flawless complexion. Hermione finally put two and two together and was just realizing who the girl was when Ron turned to her with a smile.

"Hermione, you remember my and Charlie's baby sister," he said, grabbing the girl's shoulders and standing her in front of him, facing Hermione. "Ginny, remember Hermione, the girl you've all heard so much about?"

"Hermione!" Ginny said, giggling and grabbing Hermione in a huge bear hug. "I thought this big idiot would never hook up with someone nice, and here he is with the perfect girl! Welcome to Chudley."

Hermione couldn't help smiling at the girl's enthusiasm. "The big git didn't tell me you'd be here!"

"Not surprising," she said with a grimace of distaste. "All he said was he'd met a girl and was bringing her home, never once did he mention it was you! I'm glad to see you finally got together though. It's about ruddy time!"

"Okay, okay, enough with the insults. Sheesh... I have a feeling getting you two back together is a HUGE mistake," Ron put in, sitting next to Hermione and putting his arm around her shoulders. "We're thinking of having a barbecue when a couple of my mates get here. I want you three to come as well."

That was the first Hermione had heard of it, but she didn't let on as the others all agreed. Ginny looked a bit wary.

"Okay, as long as you don't expect me to serve anything."

Ron laughed at that. "Ginny here, as you may recall Hermione, is possibly the clumsiest person ever. Don't ever give her a tray of drinks because she'll sure as hell tip it over someone," he said, grinning at the other girl's peeved expression.

"I'm not nearly as bad as Tonks, Ronald. I suppose, I'll just have to make sure I tip it over you next time, won't I?" she said sarcastically.

"Oh no, I'm staying well out of your way, I've learned my lesson," Ron said, holding his hands up. He stood up and pulled Hermione with him. "Well, we have to get going. The guys should be here sometime next week, so I'll call you and let you know when to come over, okay?"

They all murmured their agreement and then said their goodbyes, Ron leading Hermione away from the house and along the road towards his own house.

"What did you think?"

Hermione smiled as she looked up at him. "They're Weasleys, Ron... what's more to say? And Ginny hasn't changed much. I've always liked her a lot. I hope we can rekindle our friendship while I'm here."

As far as Ron was concerned she would be here forever, but he didn't say anything to her just yet. "I'm sure you will. Maybe you could go shopping together sometime, Merlin knows I hate traipsing from shop to shop."

"Yeah, well, you're a man, men are allowed to hate shopping. So when are the others coming here then, and why didn't you tell me about the barbecue?"

"The others are coming next week, sometime around Thursday I think, and I didn't tell you about the barbecue because I just thought it up on the spur of the moment, Miss picky!" he said, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. "Why, do you have a problem with that?"

"No, I think it'll be fun," she said, smiling up at him, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "I love it here," she told him, looking around her at the land he owned.

He could see the truth of the statement in her face. "Good. I want you to be comfortable here, treat it like your own home," he said, thinking to himself that he would like her to call it her home, but he'd wait a while before he brought that subject up. He had to be absolutely certain of her feelings despite the fact she had admitted she loved him. He wasn't going to open himself up to heartache again, and he wanted her to get to know everything about him so she had a chance to change her mind if she wanted to. He hoped she wouldn't.

Later that week, after a meal of steak and salad and a few bottles of dark ale, Ron sat relaxing whilst he listened to some music and Hermione went upstairs to take a shower. She came down the wide wooden stairs after she had finished and glanced around the dimly lit hall, wondering where Ron was. She listened carefully and heard faint music coming from somewhere at the back of his huge sprawling home, and she made her way through the rooms, following the sound until she found him. He was sitting in a big leather chair, his head tilted against the back of it and his eyes closed, a glass of some amber fluid in his hand. An enormous sound system was playing music, something bluesy by the sound of it, and he was tapping his fingers lightly on the arm of the chair, looking incredibly relaxed.

Hermione stood and watched him for a while, simply enjoying the sight of him like that. His shirt was hanging open and he was wearing the jeans that she thought made him look incredibly sexy, his lean body so tempting she couldn't resist finally moving towards him.

Ron was aware of her standing in the room, but he kept his eyes closed and his expression calm, waiting to see what she would do. After a short while he heard her soft footsteps approach him and then her hand descended on his arm and stroked softly.

"Hey," she said, waiting for him to open his eyes. When he did the oceanic depths that sparkled as they looked at her darkened as his hand shot out and pulled her unresisting body down onto his lap mesmerized her.

"Hey, honey. Make yourself comfortable," he murmured, hissing in a sharp breath when she wiggled about in his lap, making his flesh leap. He took a swallow of his Firewhiskey and studied her, his head cocked to one side, looking at the way she stared down into his drink.

"Want some?"

"What is it?" she asked, sniffing delicately at the liquid and wrinkling her nose.

"It's Firewhiskey, ever had it?" he asked.

"Yes, Neville gave me some once. It tasted horrible," she said, sniffing again.

"It's an acquired taste I guess. Take a small sip," he urged, holding the glass up to her mouth.

She did as he asked, and then made a face as the strong liquor burned her throat. Ron chuckled when she pushed it away. "Yeuch!"

"Better get used to the taste, because I'll taste of it when I kiss you in a second," he murmured, his eyes dropping to her mouth.

"Okay," she said happily, wanting nothing more in the world right then than for him to kiss her.

He put his glass on a nearby table, raising one eyebrow. "You're being very amenable all of a sudden," he said, smiling.

"Well, if you'd said get used to the taste because I had to drink a bottle of the foul stuff, maybe I'd act differently," she said reasonably, "but being kissed is a different thing entirely!"

"I think I may have created a monster," he said wryly, lifting her and then placing her over his legs so she was straddling him, her short robe starting to fall open over her legs.

She settled herself against him, feeling his aroused body hard underneath her, and she wiggled on top of it, grinning wickedly at him even as her face heated at her own brazenness. "I think you're right!"

"Merlin, you really are a saucy wench, you know?" he drawled at her, his grin matching hers as he saw the effect his exaggerated English drawl had on her. She pressed herself closer against him and bit her lip.

"What's the matter my Ninny, something turning you on?"

He felt her give a delicate shudder. "Don't talk like that," she said huskily, her eyes narrowing on his face.

"Aw, Ninny, why not? I love to talk like that when I can see how much it turns you on," he said, his voice lifting as he chuckled, his hands grabbing her hips and pulling her down onto the thrust of him, grinding himself up into her softness.

She shook when he slid a hand under her and cupped her in his palm, his grin widening. "No knickers huh, I guess you're feeling all better then. Were you expecting something by any chance?" he teased. "You want me? You want to make you scream?"

Hermione moaned at his words, picturing what he was saying. "Yesss," she whispered, the word drawn out as his fingers began to tease her.

"You want me right now, hard and fast and deep?" he continued.

"Please..." she moaned.

Her whimpers spurred him on and she heard the rasp of his zipper and then felt him against her, so suddenly that her shocked eyes snapped open and looked down.

"You sure this is what you want?" he said, his voice tense even though he was teasing her still.

"Ron, please, let me..." she groaned. Her head fell back and soft noises came from her throat as she relished the feel of him, the intense stretching and sense of fullness, her body accepting him.

She started to move, not too sure of how to do it like this in a chair, but just using instinct. He allowed her to have her own way for a while then he took control, grabbing her hips again, his hips moving in rhythm, so fast and deep that she was flung with amazing speed into an intense climax. She stiffened and cried out, and he joined her, holding her bruisingly hard down on him. She fell forward, letting her head rest on his shoulder and heard him panting for breath, his body still quaking with his own release. Still she could feel him and she suddenly realised that he remained hard, his flesh not shrinking as it had before. Her head lifted and she looked into his eyes, watching as he raised his eyebrows comically and growled.

"You're still...."

"I sure am," he said roughly, pushing his hips up again and smiling when she gasped at the rapid return of pleasure. "I can't stop, sweetheart, I don't even want to try," he muttered, standing up still joined with her, holding her raised with her legs wrapped around his waist. She looked startled and he simply smiled, walking over to the wall and pinning her against it, using it as a support as he started moving again.

He watched her the whole time he took her, fascinated with the play of emotions on her expressive face, at the way she bit her lip until it nearly bled when the pleasure became too intense, yet still he continued moving, wondering at his own endurance and her capacity for pleasure. It wasn't long before she fell onto him like a limp rag. He allowed himself a moment to rest against the wall, pinning her with his weight, his forehead leaning over her shoulder and resting on the wood panelling. Then he took her out of the room and up the stairs, enjoying a closeness that he would once have found uncomfortable. With her it was different. Hell, he thought, with her everything was different. She brought life and colour to a world that had been too dark for too long, and he knew he would never be able to let her go.